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St James' Church, Great Ormside
St James Church,Ormside - geograph.org.uk - 237258.jpg
St James' Church, Great Ormside, from the southeast
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OS grid reference NY 701 177
Location Great Ormside, Cumbria
Country England
Denomination Anglican
Website St James, Ormside
History
Status Parish church
Architecture
Functional status Active
Heritage designation Grade I
Designated 12 April 1984
Architect(s) C. J. Ferguson (restoration)
Architectural type Church
Style Norman
Specifications
Materials Sandstone
Administration
Parish Ormside
Deanery Appleby
Archdeaconry Carlisle
Diocese Carlisle
Province York
Interior of St James Church, Ormside - geograph.org.uk - 237256
A look inside St James' Church in 2006

St James' Church is a very old church located in the small village of Great Ormside, which is in Cumbria, England. It is a parish church, meaning it serves the local community. The church is part of the Anglican faith and is still actively used today. It is considered a very important building, listed as a Grade I heritage site. This means it has special historical or architectural value. The church sits on a round hill that looks out over the River Eden.

The Church's Long History

The hill where St James' Church stands was a special place even before Christianity arrived in the area. It was used as a burial ground by the Vikings a very long time ago. We don't know exactly when the first Christian church was built here. However, the main part of the current church, called the nave, was built in the late 1000s.

How the Church Grew Over Time

Around the mid-1100s, a side section called a north aisle was added. The chancel, which is the area near the altar, was also made wider. In the 1200s, a tall tower was built at the west end of the church.

In the early 1500s, the chancel was made even bigger. It became wider than the nave, which is unusual for churches. Later, in 1723, a new part called the Hilton Chapel was built. It replaced the older north aisle.

Modern Updates and Changes

The church got a big makeover between 1885 and 1886. This work was done by an architect named C. J. Ferguson. It cost about £732 at the time. During this restoration, some parts were rebuilt. New decorative stone patterns were added to the windows of the Hilton Chapel. A new entrance and porch were also added on the south side of the church. In 1893, the roof of the tower was replaced.

What the Church Looks Like

St James' Church is built from sandstone rocks. The roofs are covered with slate tiles on one side and stone flags on the other. The church has a main nave, a porch on the south side, and the Hilton Chapel on the north. It also has a wider chancel, a small room called a vestry, and a tower at the west end.

Outside the Church

The tower is about 11 feet (3.4 meters) wide and has three levels. It has strong corner supports called buttresses. The tower was built to be like a fortress. It has no outside door and only narrow, tall windows on the west and south sides. There are no windows on the north side at all. The very top of the tower used to be taller, but it was lowered. It now has a pointed roof.

On the south side, there is a porch with a pointed roof. Next to it is the original old doorway. This doorway is tall and narrow with a rounded top. It has a plain stone panel above it. To the right of this, there are two more windows. One is rounded, and the other has two sections from the 1300s. The chancel's south wall has three windows and a door below the middle one. The window at the very east end has three sections. The windows in the Hilton Chapel are all rounded at the top.

Inside the Church

When you go inside, there's a tall, narrow, rounded doorway leading into the tower. There's also an upper doorway, which was another defensive feature. The tower has a basement and two floors inside. It holds two bells, but only one can be rung.

Between the nave and the chapel, there's an arcade with two rounded arches. This is a Norman style feature. In the chapel, you can see a coat of arms from 1723. There's also a special opening in the wall from the 1300s called a hagioscope. This allowed people in the chapel to see the altar.

In the chancel's south wall, there's a combined aumbry (a cupboard for sacred items) and piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels). These are in two rounded alcoves. The font, used for baptisms, is also Norman. It has a square bowl sitting on a base that was added in the 1800s.

Discoveries in the Churchyard

The area around the church, called the churchyard, has been a place of important discoveries. In 1823, a very old bowl was found here. It's called the Ormside bowl and dates back to the 600s or 700s. This amazing Anglo-Saxon bowl is now kept in the Yorkshire Museum.

Another exciting discovery happened in 1898. This was the burial site of a Viking warrior, complete with his sword! The sword is now on display at the Tullie House Museum in Carlisle. In the churchyard, you can also see the stone base for a cross from 1643. A new cross was placed on this base in 1897 to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. Both the cross and its base are listed as Grade II heritage items.

See also

  • Grade I listed churches in Cumbria
  • Grade I listed buildings in Cumbria
  • Listed buildings in Ormside
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